A year ago when KNSJ radio launched, the station promised to air our live wildfire and emergency alerts. Saturday is their anniversary party - please send a message TODAY asking them to honor this promise!

In the July 2013 Chariot Fire the station did go live and I reported on the fire on Mt. Laguna. For a few weeks, KNSJ aired our alerts with a delay of an hour or so, promising to improve technology to get real live alerts. Later KNSJ stopped airing wildfire alerts at all. I’ve pleaded with KNSJ to air Viejas Wildfire Alerts as promised, which we offer them free, to save lives and keep you safe. In the backcountry when power lines burn and some have no cell service, battery-powered radio is often the only way to get news during fires.

KNSJ’s CEO says having the federal emergency broadcast system in place is enough, but it’s not. It wasn’t activated during recent fires in East County. KNSJ's CEO and Board refuse to even guarantee a start date for alerts or an exact dollar figure that would guarantee these would air. They ask for more money, without delivering on promises made to donors who already gave to support getting alerts on the air. KNSJ also has zero live broadcasting, even for breaking news during fires.

TAKE OUR POLL AND SEND A MESSAGE TO KNSJ: Should the FCC ask KNSJ to keep its promise and air live Viejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts & have live news broadcasts during wildfires?

Concerns remain among residents over traffic impacts from proposed casino at Jamul Indian Village

September 12, 2013 (Jamul) – The Jamul/Dulzura Community Planning Gorup has received a Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for roadway improvements to Highway 94. These would include widening of the highway to provide access to the Jamul Indian Reservation, where a casino is proposed, as well as improvements to intersections of Highway 94 and Jamacha Boulevard, Jamacha Road, Steel Canyon Road, Lyons Valley Road, and Maxfield Road. deerhornvalley.net/CaltransNOP.pdf

“These improvements would be necessary to help handle the 10,000 extra casino-bound vehicles daily,” Deerhorn Valley Antler editor Kim Hamilton said in an e-mail.

August 27, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – California Highway Patrol Sergeant Dave Dreher has responded to East County Magazine’s inquiry regarding a truck with over-sized load that broke down, sitting for two weeks on State Route 94 in Dulzura before it was finally removed last week. Residents had complained of long delays and inadequate notification.

Rural residents are demanding answers and improved communications after a truck with an oversized load broke down and blocked traffic on State Route 94 for over 50 hours. Even after the road was cleared, the big rig remained on the shoulder at Marron Valley Road in Dulzura for two weeks before it was finally removed.

Media was not warned and no Sig Alert was issued to alert residents prior to the oversized load taking to the highway, even though the slow-moving, extra-wide load obstructed traffic in both directions along the main evacuation route for residents in areas including Jamul, Deerhorn Valley, Potrero, Barrett Junction and Tecate.

During the blockage, residents were forced to detour up to 90 miles, causing delays of many hours. Yet a SigAlert was not issued until seven hours after the road was completely blocked by the mechanical breakdown. Even before the breakdown, the oversized, slow-moving load obstructed traffic in both directions. The load was about 231 feet long – yet posted signs indicate the maximum truck length allowed is 75 feet. So why was this rig allowed to take this narrow route with many hairpin curves when straighter, wider routes to its destination were available?

Update August 14, 2013 -- This truck remains stuck at the side of the road a week later, with still no answers from authorities on who if anyone authorized this severely oversized load to travel this highway. Reportedly it was bound for Tecate and residents wantt o know why it didn't take the Otay crossing and avoid these mountainous roads.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Donnie Durfee

August 8, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)—A truck carrying an over-sized load has repeatedly become stuck on curves along Highway 94 between Dulzura and Tecata, causing a SIG ALERT that extended more than 20 hours. Residents reported seeing the slow-moving rig the past two nights, however, and Deerhorn Valley Antler Kim Hamilton reports the ordeal has been ongoing for 54 hours as of late tonight, forcing residents to take a detour of 70 to 80 minutes. As of 9:30 p.m. the highway remained shut down in both directions.

“Closure of our major evacuation route without notice would create a very dangerous situation in the event of evacuation. Fires happen at all hours and we ARE in the middle of a very dicey season,” Deerhorn Valley antler editor Kim Hamilton wrote. ECM shares her concern and has sent a request for information to the California Highway Patrol.

Equally disturbing, the CHP website quit updating its log at noon and dropped the incident off its incident page entirely this evening.

August 1, 2013 (Dulzura) – Dulzura-Barrett Fire Dept. and the Dulzura Community Center host a Deep Pit BBQ on August 4 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at Camp’s Grove, 17087 Hwy 94, Dulzura. A dinner of beef, pork, coleslaw, beans, corn-on-the-cob, roll and 8oz drink will be served from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. The entertainment will include music from DJ, Bill the Breeze, dancing, Chicken Game, horseshoes, raffles, an auction and activities for the kids.

July 22, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Revelations that six wildfires in the past six weeks have been caused by recreational shooting in East County has caused a firestorm of controversy.

Cal-Fire, joined by residents of Dulzura, Potrero and other areas bordering the Otay Wilderness area have asked the federal Bureau of Land Management to ban shooting on its properties within San Diego County for the duration of this year’s expected severe fire season.

Update 10:32 a.m. - The fire is holding at 3 acres and aircraft have been dismissed, according to Cal Fire.

June 24, 2012 (Dulzura) – Cal Fire reports at 9:51 a.m. that a 2 to 3 acre brush fire is burningin Dulzura. The fire started near Marron Valley Road in terrain difficult for ground crews to access. Additional air power has been ordered to the scene.

May 18, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A border fire in Jewell Valley that has been burning for several days is now 100% contained.However a new fire erupted this afternoon on Marron Valley Road near Dulzura.The new fire, known as Border Fire #7, is now 70% contained and its spread has been stopped, according to Cal-Fire.

Border Fire #7 has burned about 25 acres in the U.S. and 15 in Mexico.The Incident Commander has released three fire crews and all air-tankers assigned.

December 31, 2011 (Dulzura) --A once-lost dog who had to have a leg amputated is on the mend and looking to change her luck in 2012 with a loving forever home. “Fergie,” a 1-year-old pit bull, went missing from her Dulzura home in September. She had been missing about two months when she arrived as a stray at the County Animal Shelter in Bonita.

Update June 6, 2011 6 a.m. -- The Bee Fire is now 90% contained at 100 acres, Cal-Fire says. June 5, 2011 (Dulzura)—The Bee Fire, which started at Marron Valley Road and Bee Canyon south of Dulzura at 3:45 p.m. this afternoon, is now 100 to 130 acres. The wildfire is now 5% contained and forward spread has been stopped, according to the Cal-Fire incident page: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current

May 4, 2011 (Dulzura) – Gilbert N. Amador, 73, died May 2nd at Sharp Hospital of injuries sustained in a collision with a semi-truck April 28 at Dulzura. According to the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office, Amador was en route to an appointment and struck a semi-truck that was stopped in the roadway preparing to make a left turn.

January 8, 2011 (Dulzura) – An 84-year-old woman from Lemon Grove was broadsided by another vehicle while driving on State Route 94 in Dulzura this morning. Paramedics responded but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:25 a.m., the San Diego Medical Examiner reports.

February 21, 2010 (Dulzura) The San Diego Sheriff Department’s Search and Rescue Unit was activated this morning to search for six hikers who failed to return home last night. The group has been located and airlifted out after rushing waters left them trapped, East County Magazine has been informed by a spokesperson with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

May 8, 2009 (Dulzura)--The San Diego Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying any witnesses to an alleged assault on seven people attending a party in Deerhorn Valley on April 11, 2009 in the 20800 block of Cinnamon Drive in Dulzura.